Toggle clamp lock

ABSTRACT

A toggle clamp which includes a base, handle means pivotally coupled to the base, link means pivotally coupled to the handle, bar means also pivotally coupled to the base and the link means, releasable locking means including stop means, and means to release the locking means, said locking means prohibiting relative motion between the handle and the link means thus preventing inadvertent or accidental opening of the toggle clamp when the toggle clamp is in the closed position.

0 United States Patent [1 1 \[1 11 3,

Bachtel, Jr. Dec. 9, 1975 TOGGLE CLAMP LOCK 2,456,100 12/1948 Wood269/228 [75] Inventor: Hubert C. Bachtel, Jr., Granada Hills, CalifPrimary ExaminerRoy Lake Assistant Examiner-Mark S. BlCkS Asslgnee: a 'trt ltd 'p Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Milton E. Gilbert a e own, ass.

[22] Filed: July 29, 1974 57 ABSTRACT PP 488,560 A toggle clamp whichincludes a base, handle means pivotally coupled to the base, link meanspivotally 52 US. Cl. 26 4- coupled to the handle bar means Plvotany tomime [58] Field of Search 4 201 228 means including stop means, andmeans to release the locking means, said locking means prohibitingrelative [56] References Cited motion between the handle and the linkmeans thus preventing inadvertent or accidental opening of the UNITEDSTATES PATENTS toggle clamp when the toggle clamp is in the closed334,816 l/l886 Spilker 269/228 position 625,193 5/1899 Palmer 269/2282,386,567 10/1945 Olson 269/228 23 Claims, 18 Drawing Figures US. PatentDc.9, 1975 Shee t20f3 3,924,844

Sheet 3 of 3 3,924,844

US. Patent Dec. 9, 1975 US. Patent De c.9, 1975 Sheet 2 of3- releasablemeans comprise a member pivotally coupled to the base having means forengaging the stop means to maintain said clamp in a locked condition.

11. In a toggle clamp according to claim wherein said releasable meansincludes resilient biasing means urging said releasable means towardsaid link.

12. In a toggle clamp according to claim 11 wherein said releasablemeans includes a flange for engaging said stop means.

13. In a toggle clamp according to claim 12 wherein said resilientbiasing means engages said base and said releasable means.

14. In a toggle clamp according to claim 13 wherein said resilientbiasing means comprises a wire spring member positioned about the pivotfor the releasable means.

15. In a toggle clamp having a base, a handle pivotally coupled to thebase, a link pivotally coupled to the handle, workpiece hold-down meanspivotally coupled to the base and the link, the improvement comprisingsaid link having first and second spaced apart sections interconnectedby an interconnecting section, said first and second link sections eachhaving stop means formed therein, a flat spring supported by said handleat one end and fixedly supporting a crossbar at the other end thereof,said crossbar biased by said spring to engage said link while permittingsaid link to be rotated with said handle and workpiece holddown meanswith respect to said base when said clamp handle is rotatably movedtowards a closed position, said crossbar positioned to engage each ofsaid link section stop means when said clamp is in a closed positionthereby preventing opening of said clamp without moving said crossbaraway from each of said link section stop means.

16. In a toggle clamp according to claim 15 wherein trigger means isfixedly coupled to said flat spring to bend it to move said cross barmeans away from said right angled face of said stop means.

17. In a toggle clamp according to claim 16 wherein said first andsecond link sections each include a camming surface to urge saidcrossbar and said flat spring 6 away from each of said stop means whenthe link is moved relative to said handle.

18. A toggle clamp having a base, a handle pivotally coupled to saidbase, workpiece hold-down means pivotally coupled to said base, a linkpivotally coupled to said handle and said hold-down means, releasablemeans pivotally coupled to said base, resilient biasing means coupled tosaid base and said releasable means, said link including projecting stopmeans, said releasable means biased by resilient biasing means in aposition to engage said projecting link stop means when said clamp is ina closed position so as to prevent substantial rotation of said link in.one direction with respect to said base.

19. A toggle clamp acq rding to claim 18 in which said releasable meansincludes an arm having a first flange means for engaging both the topand bottom portion of said projecting link stop means.

20. A toggle clamp according to claim 19 in which said releasable meansinclude a second flange means engaged by said resilient biasing means.

21. A toggle clamp according to claim 19 in which said projecting stopmeans includes a sloping bottom surface which will engage said firstflange means as the link is moved during closure of the clamp.

22. A toggle clamp comprising a base, a workpiece hold-down meanspivotally coupled to the base, a handle pivotally coupled to the baseand a link comprising first and second sections each pivotally coupledto both said handle and said workpiece hold-down means, aninterconnecting section fixedly coupled to said first and second linksections with a portion thereof acting as stop means, a flat springcoupled to said handle and supporting a bar member between said firstand second link sections, said bar member positioned to engage saidinterconnecting member portions which acts as a stop means when saidclamp is in a closed position.

23. The toggle clamp of claim 22 in which said first and second linksections are pivotally coupled to said handle by a rod and wherein saidbar includes a portion for engaging said rod to limit movement of saidspring.

1. A toggle clamp which includes a base, handle means pivotally coupledto the base, link means pivotally coupled to the handle means, workpiecehold-down means pivotally coupled to the base and the link means, andreleasable locking means including stop means supported by said linkmeans and movable releasable means for engaging the stop means toprevent relative motion between the handle and the link means when thetoggle clamp is in a closed position, said link including camming meansfor moving said releasable means prior to said releasable means movingoff from said camming means and being positioned to engage said stopmeans as said handle, workpiece hold-down means and link are rotated toplace the toggle clamp in a closed position in order to hold said clampin a closed position.
 2. A toggle clamp according to claim 1 whereinsaid releasable means is supported by said handle.
 3. A toggle clampaccording to claim 2 wherein a portion of said link acts as said stopmeans.
 4. A toggle clamp according to claim 2 wherein said releasablemeans comprises a spring supporting engagement means for engaging saidstop means.
 5. A toggle clamp according to claim 4 wherein a portion ofsaid link acts as said stop means.
 6. A toggle clamp according to claim4 wherein said spring is a flat spring.
 7. A toggle clamp according toclaim 6 wherein a portion of said link acts as said stop means.
 8. Atoggle clamp according to claim 6 wherein a trigger means is supportedby said spring to permit said engagement means to be moved away fromsaid stop means to permit the clamp to be opened.
 9. A toggle clampaccording to claim 8 wherein a portion of said link acts as said stopmeans.
 10. In a toggle clamp according to claim 1 wherein said stopmeans comprises a portion of the link and the releasable means comprisea member pivotally coupled to the base having means for engaging thestop means to maintain said clamp in a locked condition.
 11. In a toggleclamp according to claim 10 wherein said releasable means includesresilient biasing means urging said releasable means toward said link.12. In a toggle clamp according to claim 11 wherein said releasablemeans includes a flange for engaging said stop means.
 13. In a toggleclamp according to claim 12 wherein said resilient biasing means engagessaid base and said releasable means.
 14. In a toggle clamp according toclaim 13 wherein said resilient biasing means comprises a wire springmember positioned about the pivot for the releasable means.
 15. In atoggle clamp having a base, a handle pivotally coupled to the base, alink pivotally coupled to the handle, workpiece hold-down meanspivotally coupled to the base and the link, the improvement comprisingsaid link having first and second spaced apart sections interconnectedby an interconnecting section, said first and second link sections eachhaving stop means formed therein, a flat spring supported by said handleat one end and fixedly supporting a crossbar at the other end thereof,said crossbar biased by said spring to engage said link while permittingsaid link to be rotated with said handle and workpiece holddown meanswith respect to said base when said clamp handle is rotatably movedtowards a closed position, said crossbar positioned to engage each ofsaid link section stop means when said clamp is in a closed positionthereby preventing opening of said clamp without moving said crossbaraway from each of said link section stop means.
 16. In a toggle clampaccording to claim 15 wherein trigger means is fixedly coupled to saidflat spring to bend it to move said cross bar means away from said rightangled face of said stop means.
 17. In a toggle clamp according to claim16 wherein said first and second link sections each include a cammingsurface tO urge said crossbar and said flat spring away from each ofsaid stop means when the link is moved relative to said handle.
 18. Atoggle clamp having a base, a handle pivotally coupled to said base,workpiece hold-down means pivotally coupled to said base, a linkpivotally coupled to said handle and said hold-down means, releasablemeans pivotally coupled to said base, resilient biasing means coupled tosaid base and said releasable means, said link including projecting stopmeans, said releasable means biased by resilient biasing means in aposition to engage said projecting link stop means when said clamp is ina closed position so as to prevent substantial rotation of said link inone direction with respect to said base.
 19. A toggle clamp according toclaim 18 in which said releasable means includes an arm having a firstflange means for engaging both the top and bottom portion of saidprojecting link stop means.
 20. A toggle clamp according to claim 19 inwhich said releasable means include a second flange means engaged bysaid resilient biasing means.
 21. A toggle clamp according to claim 19in which said projecting stop means includes a sloping bottom surfacewhich will engage said first flange means as the link is moved duringclosure of the clamp.
 22. A toggle clamp comprising a base, a workpiecehold-down means pivotally coupled to the base, a handle pivotallycoupled to the base and a link comprising first and second sections eachpivotally coupled to both said handle and said workpiece hold-downmeans, an interconnecting section fixedly coupled to said first andsecond link sections with a portion thereof acting as stop means, a flatspring coupled to said handle and supporting a bar member between saidfirst and second link sections, said bar member positioned to engagesaid interconnecting member portions which acts as a stop means whensaid clamp is in a closed position.
 23. The toggle clamp of claim 22 inwhich said first and second link sections are pivotally coupled to saidhandle by a rod and wherein said bar includes a portion for engagingsaid rod to limit movement of said spring.